The centre was commissioned on Tuesday, September 15, on behalf of the First Lady by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima.

The facility is one of six ICT Experience Centres selected for the pilot phase of the initiative, with one institution representing each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Similar centres have already been commissioned at Ekiti State University, the University of Cross River State and Anambra State Polytechnic, while centres at Kaduna State University and Taraba State University are also ready for commissioning.

Tinubu also announced plans to extend the programme to 15 additional tertiary institutions across Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara states.

The centres are equipped with ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces to support learning, research, creativity and technological development.

The First Lady described the initiative as an opportunity for young Nigerians to gain knowledge and develop innovative solutions, urging students to use the facilities responsibly to improve their communities and the country.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, represented by Olajide Babatunde, said the centres would help equip young Nigerians with skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and other emerging technologies.

He added that the intervention would contribute to reducing the digital skills gap and improving the employability of Nigerian graduates.

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, urged the university to maximise the facility by promoting innovation, creating employment opportunities and developing practical solutions to societal challenges.

The Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, Professor Shaykh-Luqman Alade Jimoh, described the centre as an investment in Nigeria’s future, saying it would strengthen research, entrepreneurship and engagement between the university and its host community.

The demonstration was organised by an initiative called Democratism, with robots marching in circles while carrying flags and broadcasting messages through loudspeakers.

Among the machines at the protest was Agibot A3, an AI-powered humanoid robot, alongside other robots including bipedal humanoids and dog-like quadrupeds.

The robots displayed signs and flags as slogans including “Defend workplaces,” “Time for rules” and “Don’t wait, regulate” were played through loudspeakers.

Human organiser Grzegorz Kulis said the protest was designed to draw attention to the possibility of robots and AI replacing people in both physical and cognitive jobs.

“We particularly want to address the issue of the potential replacement of people both by humanoid robots and by artificial intelligence in cognitive work,” Kulis said.

He warned that governments and society need to respond quickly to the rapid development of the technology.

“If we don’t react now, we may soon have a problem,” he said, calling for regulations to protect workers.

The demonstration also highlighted how rapidly robotics technology is developing, with organisers arguing that robots are no longer simply a distant concept but are increasingly capable of performing tasks in the real world.

The protest comes as Poland and other European Union countries implement new rules governing artificial intelligence. The EU AI Act uses a risk-based approach, imposing stricter requirements on AI systems considered capable of causing greater harm.

Poland has also introduced legislation to establish a national framework for supervising AI and created a Commission for the Development and Safety of Artificial Intelligence.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stated this at GITEX summit in Lagos.

Inuwa said the emerging global economy would increasingly be driven by human intelligence, creativity, knowledge and the ability to solve complex problems.

According to him, Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people, making digital literacy, talent development and investment in deep-tech research critical to the country’s economic transformation agenda.

The NITDA boss highlighted Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, blockchain, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and additive manufacturing as key technologies capable of improving productivity and creating new economic opportunities across different sectors.

He said Nigeria was building the capacity required to harness these emerging technologies and strengthen its position in the global digital economy.

According to Inuwa, the country’s ambition is to build a Nigeria that does not merely adopt technologies developed elsewhere but actively creates, scales and exports innovative solutions to global markets.

He added that strengthening Nigeria’s innovation and technology ecosystem would be crucial to ensuring that the country plays a significant role in shaping the future economy.

The development followed an official visit by the Vice-Chancellor of Northwest University Kano, Prof. Amina Salihi Bayero, who led a university delegation to NITDA’s Abuja headquarters for discussions with the agency’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa.

During the meeting, Prof. Salihi Bayero highlighted the university’s recent progress and appealed for NITDA’s support in strengthening its information technology infrastructure and broader digital transformation agenda.

Responding, Inuwa commended the university’s efforts but stressed that investment in physical infrastructure must be matched with relevant skills development and a supportive digital ecosystem to achieve sustainable results.

He proposed the integration of digital literacy into the university’s foundational curriculum, alongside the introduction of specialised degree programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing.

The NITDA Director-General also advocated collaboration on applied research aimed at developing technology solutions to challenges in key sectors, including healthcare, agriculture and commerce.

Prof. Salihi Bayero welcomed the proposals, noting that the university has the flexibility to incorporate the proposed digital courses through its 30 per cent curriculum autonomy.

As part of efforts to translate the discussions into concrete initiatives, NITDA and Northwest University Kano agreed to establish a joint working committee. The committee is expected to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), develop terms of reference and prepare an implementation framework for the establishment of a dedicated Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Centre at the university.

The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen industry-relevant skills among students, promote technology-focused research and contribute to Nigeria’s broader digital economy ambitions.

Speaking during a telephone interview with National Focus, Ayoola said one of the biggest obstacles to AI and robotics development in Nigeria is the lack of knowledge among leaders and inadequate support for young innovators.

He noted that the country’s weak digital infrastructure, including data centres, reliable internet connectivity and stable electricity, continues to slow AI adoption.

“The best of infrastructure are outside the country data centers, reliable internet bandwidth and power supply you will hardly find that here.”

Ayoola explained that AI systems rely heavily on quality data, stressing that without reliable and real-time data collection, Nigeria will struggle to develop AI solutions that address real-world challenges.

“The issue of data, AI feeds on data so if you don’t have a mechanism for collecting correct real time and reliable data then your AI will not be able to have impact the real world.”

He also identified the high cost of importing robotics components as another major challenge. According to him, while many components are affordable, shipping costs often exceed the actual price of the items.

“Importation seems to be the challenge in robotics because not that the component are expensive but shipping fee alone sometimes is more than the cost of the component. You may want to order a simple battery and the battery may cost 3 dollar and the shipping fee will be 10 dollar so it means that we have to improve our shipping services.”

On concerns that AI could replace human workers, Ayoola dismissed the fear, insisting that the technology is designed to improve productivity rather than eliminate jobs.

“Most people will tell you that it’s going to take away their job.”

He acknowledged that some human rights advocates remain worried about the impact of AI on employment but maintained that such concerns are misplaced.

“AI is not here to make life difficult it’s here to make life easier it’s not to take away the jobs of those who have jobs but to make their jobs easier and more humane.”

Ayoola called on the government to partner with private organisations, provide funding for AI and robotics institutions, strengthen international collaborations and embark on nationwide public awareness campaigns to promote responsible AI adoption.

Looking ahead, he predicted that AI would become a standard tool across nearly every profession in Nigeria within the next decade. According to him, sectors such as accounting, education and engineering will increasingly integrate AI into their operations, while the growth of local manufacturing and improved logistics could significantly boost Nigeria’s robotics industry.

He added that as AI and robotics become more affordable and accessible, more Nigerians will embrace the technologies and benefit from their ability to improve productivity and reduce costs.